title: Probiotics: a new way to fight bacterial pulmonary infections?
abstract: Antibiotics, of which Fleming has identified the first representative, penicillin, in 1928, allowed dramatical improvement of the treatment of patients presenting with infectious diseases. However, once an antibiotic is used, resistance may develop more or less rapidly in some bacteria. It is thus necessary to develop therapeutic alternatives, such as the use of probiotics, defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "micro-organisms which, administered live and in adequate amounts, confer a benefit to the health of the host". The scope of these micro-organisms is broad, concerning many areas including that of infectious diseases, especially respiratory infections. We describe the rational use of probiotics in respiratory tract infections and detail the results of various clinical studies describing the use of probiotics in the management of respiratory infections such as nosocomial or community acquired pneumonia, or on specific grounds such as cystic fibrosis. The results are sometimes contradictory, but the therapeutic potential of probiotics seems promising. Implementing research to understand their mechanisms of action is critical to conduct therapeutic tests based on a specific rational for the strains to be used, the dose, as well as the chosen mode and rhythm of administration.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire universitaire de biodiversité et d'écologie microbienne, EA3882, faculté de médecine, université européenne de Bretagne, CHRU de la Cavale Blanche, boulevard Tanguy-Prigent, 29609 Brest cedex, France.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Alexandre
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de microbiologie des environnements extrêmes, technopole Brest-Iroise, UMR 6197, université européenne de Bretagne, institut universitaire européen de la mer, 29280 Plouzané, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Le Blay
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire universitaire de biodiversité et d'écologie microbienne, EA3882, faculté de médecine, université européenne de Bretagne, CHRU de la Cavale Blanche, boulevard Tanguy-Prigent, 29609 Brest cedex, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boisramé-Gastrin
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire universitaire de biodiversité et d'écologie microbienne, EA3882, faculté de médecine, université européenne de Bretagne, CHRU de la Cavale Blanche, boulevard Tanguy-Prigent, 29609 Brest cedex, France; Unité de bactériologie-virologie, CHRU, 29609 Brest, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Le Gall
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire universitaire de biodiversité et d'écologie microbienne, EA3882, faculté de médecine, université européenne de Bretagne, CHRU de la Cavale Blanche, boulevard Tanguy-Prigent, 29609 Brest cedex, France; Unité de bactériologie-virologie, CHRU, 29609 Brest, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Héry-Arnaud
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire universitaire de biodiversité et d'écologie microbienne, EA3882, faculté de médecine, université européenne de Bretagne, CHRU de la Cavale Blanche, boulevard Tanguy-Prigent, 29609 Brest cedex, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gouriou
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire universitaire de biodiversité et d'écologie microbienne, EA3882, faculté de médecine, université européenne de Bretagne, CHRU de la Cavale Blanche, boulevard Tanguy-Prigent, 29609 Brest cedex, France; Unité de bactériologie-virologie, CHRU, 29609 Brest, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vallet
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire universitaire de biodiversité et d'écologie microbienne, EA3882, faculté de médecine, université européenne de Bretagne, CHRU de la Cavale Blanche, boulevard Tanguy-Prigent, 29609 Brest cedex, France; Département de médecine interne et pneumologie, CHRU, 29609 Brest, France. Electronic address: rozenn.leberre@chu-brest.fr.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Le Berre
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D064307:Microbiota; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D053717:Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D019936:Probiotics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications; D053038:Quorum Sensing; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000382:microbiology; D013045:Species Specificity
keywords: Cystic fibrosis; Hospital-acquired pneumonia; Immunomodulation; Mucoviscidose; Pneumonies nosocomiales; Probiotics; Probiotiques